Has anyone done this? The process is to mix/shake the regular E10 (or whatever) with water (~3:1) ratio. Let it sit for a while so they can separate. A large portion of the ethanol preferentially dissolves into the water, leaving (mostly?) ethanol-free gas. You also end up with a noticeably thicker water layer (because of the ethanol addition) than you started with.

This would be pretty easy with a large, 2-3L glass separatory funnel. There are videos on YouTube of this, too.

I only use the ethanol free for lawn equipment and the go-kart, but it is VERY hard to find out here (based on the pure-gas.org site). I'm only aware of 1, possibly 2, sources in the ABQ area for ethanol free gas. I wouldn't bother with this process if I used it in higher volume.

I've not done it... sounds like a lot of trouble.
Though not around here, I do have no-ethanol available on a route I often travel. I fill a gallon and bring it back with me. I really only use it in the chainsaw.

I've done processes like this in the lab plenty of times, so it didn't sound too bad.

I'm wondering how much the combustion properties of the gas would change after removing the ethanol. Some people are adding a bit of octane booster after the process. I'm not sure something like that would be necessary. Ethanol would slow the burn rate of the gas, so increasing its octane rating, but is it ENOUGH of a difference to do something about it? Would the reduced-octane rating of the new gas possibly damage a small engine?

There are at least 49 stations in the state that sell this.
Or come to AL where we have 599 choices.

Of course you could make your own electricity too I guess.

or, just pour in a treatment that fixes the problem...

https://www.starbrite.com/prod...-classic-gas-formula

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
There are at least 49 stations in the state that sell this.
Or come to AL where we have 599 choices.

Of course you could make your own electricity too I guess.

You live in the South; I was born and raised there. Things are a tad farther apart out here.

I do have solar on the house, but the implements aren’t electric, too.


Stabilizer additives are an option, of course. I was mainly just curious about the extraction process and how realistic it is.

quote:

Stabilizer additives are an option, of course. I was mainly just curious about the extraction process and how realistic it is.

Well, they are easier to use, store without being a danger, and you don't end up with multiple types of fuel you need to deal with LOL...

Ethanol free used to be a pain in the ass in Houston as it was only available at marinas. I kept periodically checking and was thriled when QT started opening shiny new stations here with several pumps with ethanol free premium.

It's a very expensive trip to get 2 gallons as the same freeway exit makes me drive past Harbor Freight and Tractor Supply too...

That’s what makes the trip worth making.

On another note, I thought ethanol boosted octane. What would octane rating of the gasoline be after the ethanol was removed?

You will be down about 2-3% or 2-3 points octane as that is the increase of octane by adding the ethanol.

So, 87 is going to be 84-85 octane.

Dad has done this in the past for his small engine tools. Add water to the gas, shake, let it settle, then drain off the water/ETOH mix.

Worked fine in the mower, chainsaw, weed eater.

He only did it because they don’t have ethanol free gas there and he’d have to drive an hour one way to get any.

Don’t know about the reduction of octane, if any.

Good to know this isn't just some YouTube BS; thanks, MikeinNC. Those implements are where I'd be using it, plus the 150cc go-kart. I may just try a small batch as an experiment. The most I'd typically keep on hand is a jerry can or two.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
On another note, I thought ethanol boosted octane. What would octane rating of the gasoline be after the ethanol was removed?

Ethanol slows the burn rate of gas, therefore increasing the octane rating when it is present.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
You will be down about 2-3% or 2-3 points octane as that is the increase of octane by adding the ethanol.

So, 87 is going to be 84-85 octane.

If this is the case, it doesn't seem like it would be dramatic in a small engine, right? I wonder if I try this out that I should go up to mid-grade gas to compensate.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
On another note, I thought ethanol boosted octane. What would octane rating of the gasoline be after the ethanol was removed?

Ethanol slows the burn rate of gas, therefore increasing the octane rating when it is present.

Ethanol is actually dual purpose:
(1) added to increase octane which prevents "knocking"
(2) added as an oxygenate to obtain a more complete "burn" which lowers emissions

If you care about knocking then just start with premium 91 octane so you end up with regular 87 or 88 octane. I saw your thread on go kart performance mods so I'm assuming you just want the mower to run trouble free, but care about go kart performance.

I'm not a chemist, but water soluble corrosion inhibitors and fuel stabilizers added at the refinery or loading rack will get partially/completely stripped out as well. Stripping out corrosion inhibitors will increase corrosion rate in any metal part (e.g. tank or carburetor).

If you try this, just make sure you get ALL the water out or you will have a bigger problem than the ethanol you were trying to avoid.

quote:

If this is the case, it doesn't seem like it would be dramatic in a small engine, right? I wonder if I try this out that I should go up to mid-grade gas to compensate.

I think my chainsaws want 90. Small engines don’t have knock sensors or the ability to change timing and such to adjust for low octane.

Never tried to remove the ethanol.
GT gas station on north 4th st. (abq) sells non ethanol gas.

.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
If you try this, just make sure you get ALL the water out or you will have a bigger problem than the ethanol you were trying to avoid.

That should be the easy part; they readily separate into visible layers.

quote:

Originally posted by Greymann:
Never tried to remove the ethanol.
GT gas station on north 4th st. (abq) sells non ethanol gas.

That's the only one in the area I've found. I've filled up my cans there. It's still a bit out of the way for me.

To play devils advocate here, why bother? Ethanol/gas problems are greatly overblown in my experience.
If it's for a special purpose ultra-high performance engine, anything you can buy on the same ticket as lottery tickets & cigarettes ain't the right product.
If it's for off-the-shelf small equipment, run gas that's the correct rating straight from the pump. I've not tried each & every combination, but all that I have tried (dozens/<50) haven't croaked from E10/E15. The very few I tried didn't run that much better on 89/91/93 or some race gas I had that was getting old.

We have 2 ~70 year-old model G farm tractors. They probably still have a little diluted E10 in the tank & run as well on that old crap as they do on anything. They don't get moved much, but when they do, dump some pump-87 in them & go. After you jump them & apply a little ether, of course. The carbs are likely original, but I'm sure the original fuel lines rotted away about the time I was in diapers. Maybe the E10 ate them, but I doubt it was the major culprit.

^^ I left gas in my motorcycle over a winter one year and 3 months was all it took for the gas to gunk up the carbs. Cost me a couple of hundred bucks to get it right.

If OP just runs his weedeater, saw, mower and then runs them empty at the end of the season, it’s fine with regular gas. I mow half an acre and used to use regular gas in my mower. Then I had the issue with the motorcycle.

I use a Honda push mower and run thur a tank a week. The weedeater is mixed with the same gas. After the incident w/motorcycle, I go to the lake and use a station near there to get nonethanol gas. I fill 2 5gal VP racing jugs, add stabil and it sits until fall when I swap it into the truck and refill the jugs. This is backup fuel for my generator (it’s a propane/gas). I also use it for the mower.

I don’t have the bike anymore, but I believe the OP uses a go cart for fun, so that’s worth it to get ethanol free gas, based on my personal experience. If there wernt a station around w/o ethanol I’d go to a local airport and see what they have, or I’d do what my dad did and separate the ethanol out of the gas.

quote:

Originally posted by snidera:
We have 2 ~70 year-old model G farm tractors.

Apples and oranges. There is a big difference in the size of carburetors and more importantly their jet diameters in small power equipment (e.g. mower) than the carburetor in tractor with a 6.8L engine.